1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to vacuum cleaner devices of the type commonly used for household floor cleaning. More particularly, the invention pertains to a circuit breaking device for disconnecting electric current to all vacuum cleaner motors when the dust collecting bag is not in place.
2. Related Technology
A commonplace dry-vacuum cleaner typically includes an upper portion that includes a handle that can be grasped by the user and an electric motor-driven rotating brush located inside the leading edge of a lower base. The lower base and upper portion are connected by either an internal or external vacuum pipe through which a vacuum is drawn by an electric motor-driven fan. A dust collecting bag is arranged to be inserted into the vacuum pipe between an inlet at the lower base and the motor, so that in-rushing air is filtered so that dust and foreign objects are retained in the bag and thereby prevented from entering the electric motor and other internal regions of the vacuum cleaner.
The dust collecting bag used in commonly found vacuum cleaners is mounted by the user onto a dust collecting port located inside the upper body. The user fits a cover plate over the dust collecting bag by fitting the cover plate into receiving portions of the upper body. In some vacuum cleaners, the user is warned of an absent dust bag by a protruding pin that disables the closure of the cover plate, however such a mechanical warning device does not prevent the energization of the electric motors of the vacuum cleaner. A failure of this type of safety pin can allow the vacuum cleaner to be used, which would likely cause internal damage to the cleaner.